Thien (Eric) Dao

~/eric-dao/about.ts

▍

Senior Front-end Engineer with 4+ years building React, Next.js, and TypeScript applications across startup and outsourcing environments. Approaching features from the user's side, I consistently propose improvements rather than just executing tasks. Recently drove the frontend of a multi-tenant SaaS eLearning MVP, owning the security and performance decisions and partnering closely with backend and product to ship what genuinely works for users.

Download Resume

About

~/eric-dao/about.md

I'm a Frontend Developer who always puts myself in the end-user's shoes, specializing in building high-performance web applications with ReactJS, NextJS, and TypeScript. I bring diverse hands-on experience, from large-scale Outsourcing environments to fast-moving Startups.

Career journey:

Currently: Frontend Developer at The Umdenken — an EdTech startup based in Sydney, Australia.
Previously: Led an entire project team on a Real Estate project for RMG, an Australian client.

What makes me valuable?

Product & Performance Mindset: I believe a great product starts with an excellent user experience (UX). I always look for the right balance between a smooth experience for users and stable, reliable system performance.
Cost Optimization: Writing clean code, building sensible system architecture, and optimizing SEO to minimize operating costs are always among my top priorities.
The Backend's "Companion": I analyze every feature thoroughly - from multiple angles and real user scenarios - before writing a single line of code, so I can define a sound approach early on. Backend can then build straight from it: fewer bugs, less back-and-forth, and the whole team moves faster.
Working Style: Professional, proactive, and passionate about taking on challenges. The harder the problem, the more it drives me to push my limits and level up.

Skills

Frontend

JavaScriptTypeScriptHTML5CSS3LESS

Frameworks/ Platforms

ReactJSNext.jsTanstack QueryZustandReduxReact-Hook-FormReact-Router-DomjQueryBootstrapTailwindCSSShadcn UIGoogle Maps APIMixpanel

Others

Strong understanding of JavaScript OOP concepts and modular architecture

Experienced in Agile/Scrum environments, Git, Bitbucket, Jira and team leadership

Experienced in PHP debugging and handling basic development tasks

Experience working with APIs and understanding of database structures (MySQL)

Experience

The Umdenken

Ho Chi Minh City

Dec 2025 - Present

U-Learn eLearning Platform

Ho Chi Minh City

Front End Engineer · Dec 2025

The Umdenken's in-house SaaS eLearning product: a multi-tenant platform built for enterprise organisations to manage learners, learning paths, courses, seat-based allocation, role-based permissions, analytics, and payment workflows.

Next.jsReactJSTailwindCSSShadcnUIReChartsvideo.jszodreact-hook-formreact-pdf-viewerRubyDjangoRedissidekiqPostgreSqlGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle Analytics

·Migrated the permission system from a rigid user-type model to a role-and-permission RBAC system with 9 custom roles, making access configurable instead of hardcoded. Zero permission bugs since launch in March 2026.
·Re-architected auth from localStorage tokens to httpOnly cookies enforced in Next.js middleware. Eliminated the flash-then-redirect on protected pages and closed an XSS token-theft vector.
·Split rendering by route - server-rendered auth-gated and SEO pages, client-rendered the interactive learning pages with TanStack Query. Cached and deduped requests with per-data-type invalidation so most navigation hits cache, not the API.
·Ran a FE-first workflow on a 2-person team: built against mocked data and defined the API contract first, then backend implemented to it. Reduced rework by ~30%.
·Standardized a plan-first workflow for AI-assisted coding (plan → review → implement) to keep full control over generated output.
·Built the technical SEO foundation (metadata, structured data, semantic markup), reaching 92+ Ahrefs Site Health and a 92 Lighthouse score.
·Integrated Google Analytics and Tag Manager for marketing to track traffic sources, scroll depth, and CTA engagement - and to catch and fix broken or slow-firing events. Implemented within cookie-consent rules.

TMA Solutions

Ho Chi Minh City

Nov 2021 - Dec 2025

Real Estate Websites

Australia

Front End Engineer · Nov 2021 - Dec 2025

Team Leader · Aug 2025 - Dec 2025

A real estate project integrated with an online document hub, providing a seamless experience for property listing, discovery, and secure document management

Next.jsTypeScriptTailwindCSSShadcn UIHTMLLESSBootstrapjQueryJavaScriptPHPYii2LaravelMySQL

·Led a team of 8 (3 front-end, 3 backend, 2 QA), handling client coordination, estimates, task assignment, and delivery tracking.
·Migrated 2 real estate platforms and 1 sub-site from legacy HTML/jQuery to Next.js and TypeScript, improving UI consistency and maintainability.
·Onboarded and mentored a junior front-end developer, and established code review and refactoring practices that raised team code quality.
·Collaborated directly with the client and design team to turn mockups into working components.
·Integrated Google Maps API for interactive listings and Mixpanel for behavior tracking, enabling data-driven UI decisions.

Education

Nong Lam University

Information Technology · Ho Chi Minh City

2017 - 2022

Recommendations

Jamie Muscatel

Senior Product Manager | Ready Media Group

Jamie was senior to Thien but didn’t manage Thien directlyvia LinkedIn

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Thien for several years across Ready Media Group’s digital products. Thien is a hard-working, diligent and highly talented Frontend Developer. His calm and softly spoken nature, combined with consistently high-quality engineering, has made him an absolute joy to work with. Beyond his technical ability, Thien is a cultural glue within any team - a natural leader who brings people together and elevates those around him. His impact has been felt across every project we’ve worked on. Thien has been thoroughly enjoyable to collaborate with, and I wish him nothing but the best in the next chapter of his career.

Alex Webster

Head of Technology

Alex was senior to Thien but didn’t manage Thien directlyvia LinkedIn

“Thien was an integral part of our development team for a number of years. He showed strong leadership and mentored other members of them. Thien is passionate in his work and has a fantastic work ethic. We were sorry to see him go but wish him the very best!

Panvina Touch

Web Application Developer | Aspiring Full-Stack Developer

Panvina worked with Thien but they were at different companiesvia LinkedIn

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Thien, an excellent frontend developer with a strong understanding of both design and business needs. He consistently turns complex requirements into clean, responsive, and reliable interfaces. Thien cares deeply about the tasks and the projects he works on. He’s thoughtful about the details and always looking for ways to improve the code with the long-term goals of the product in mind. His coding practices are clean, maintainable, and well-structured, which makes collaboration and long-term development much smoother. Beyond his technical expertise, he’s also a strong team leader who keeps projects on track, ensures tasks are properly estimated, and maintains a high standard of quality across the board. Thien has a knack for bringing team members together, fostering true collaboration, and ensuring no one feels left out or overlooked. He’s also gone above and beyond to make sure juniors are well supported. Working with Thien has been a great experience. While it was sad to see him go, I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavours.

Tú Nguyễn

Manual Tester | Web Testing

Tú worked with Thien on the same teamvia LinkedIn

“I worked with Thien on several features, and it was a great experience. He is detail-oriented and takes product quality seriously. He actively communicates with QA to clarify requirements, quickly fixes issues, and ensures features work correctly across different scenarios. His willingness to collaborate and openness to feedback made the development process smooth and efficient. I truly enjoyed working with him and would be happy to work together again.

Khai Tran

Motion Graphics Designer & Video Editor

Khai worked with Thien but on different teamsvia LinkedIn

“I’ve had the pleasure of sharing an office space with Thien for some time now. Even though we work in different teams — I lead the Video Production team while Thien is a Front-End Developer — I’ve had many opportunities to observe his work ethic firsthand. Thien is exceptionally professional and consistently delivers high-quality results that have earned him great praise from our managers. Beyond his technical skills, he is an incredibly kind, approachable, and supportive colleague who brings a positive vibe to the office. He is truly one of the best coworkers I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, and I highly recommend him to any team looking for a talented and dedicated developer.

// let's build something together

~/contact/send-message.ts